SALISBURY – Ten-year-old Arianna Stade has been looking forward to this year’s Salisbury Festival since last year’s festival ended.

She and her grandmother, Simmie Betts, were among the first people downtown for the annual festival, which opened at 4 p.m. Friday. They’d walked over from Newtown, and sat down to enjoy some crab dip not far from the courthouse.

“I come every year, and I just like coming just because I like the games and they have really good food and fun rides,” Arianna said.

Betts said Arianna would also be performing at the festival Saturday with the Feet of Fire! Dance Academy.

“We’ll probably be here every day,” Betts said.

The festival, hosted by the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce, runs through Sunday, with various attractions Saturday, among them carnival rides, food vendors, Arts on the Plaza and a beer tasting. The carnival rides stay open Sunday.

Not far away from where Arianna and Betts were sitting was the Salisbury Knights of Columbus booth, where members were selling hamburgers, hot dogs and homemade fries, with the funds to benefit local charities.

One by one, Bill Phillips put cleaned potatoes through a press behind the stand, making them into fry-shaped pieces.

Grand Knight Walter Conway said the pressed potatoes go into salt water, which brings the starch out. They’re fried on site, too, and during that process, the salt is eliminated, he said.

Conway said the organization usually buys close to a half-ton of potatoes for the fries.

Fries were among the various types of food that people could partake in from the vendors along Main Street and Division Street –– the intersection was blocked off for a block party –– but some were also partaking in the colorful rides, many of which involved some variation of going in a circle. And people could also try their hand at games, such as ring toss and fishing.

Whitney Taylor, 14, of Delmar said it’s a family tradition for her to come to the event.

“Mostly, this carnival’s about family,” Whitney said.

Salisbury Festival street closures

Through Sunday, several downtown streets will be closed to traffic because of the Salisbury Festival. Traffic in those areas will be restricted to only vendors participating in the event.

Event Parking: Parking is available at the parking garage located at the corner of South Division Street and Circle Avenue. Anyone needing to access the downtown area is encouraged to park in the parking garage via East Market Street.